THE ADELAIDE SEWAGE FAKM.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1779, 29 February 1888, Page 3

THE ADELAIDE SEWAGE FAKM.

The Adelaide Sewage Farm which lies »boufc Bi miles north of the city. Is 430 fores m extent, of which area 210 acreß tre. At present under sewage; bat the whole of the farm with the exception of 20 acres, can be utilised when expedient, A sum of £360 000 has been expended on the iftim and works, exclusive of ttock, eonslatlog of pipes, etc., which ooat between £70,000 and £80,000. The A d<flaide system of removal of sewage is by water flushing, which Ib most effective, the whole being carried underground till clear of the city, when it is continued aloug an open cement drain to the farm, there being a good fall throughont. On entering the farm, the sewage is carried through the, engine house over gratings and an enormous revolving wheel to separate and retain the soiids, the fluids passing on to be applied through Emaller pipes to the farm. After this sewage baa been applied to the crops and has left all its fertilising element! m the soil, the water underground is again collected and carried off by 9 drain' to the sea.' It come? out of the farm at the end opposite which It entered, apparently absolutely pure, and certainly as clear as crystal. An engine house is built on this drain, containing machinery, by means of which m the dry months of the year, the water is pumped back to be used for irrigation purposes. The results obtained here through the application of aewage are simply astonishing. There are 150 acres of lucerne on land which originally varied from sandy loam to stiff clay, which, with a watering every three weeks, yields from 4 to 10 tons per acre at a catting — cut eight times In the year, Italian ryegraea yields about Q tons per acre. Mangolds which are sown m ridges 30in apart, and are watered every three weeks, give an average yield of 65 tons, with a maximum, of 85 tons, to the acre. There are 25 acres sorghum, which are watered every six weeks, and which give a yield of 24 tons per acre at eaoh cut, it being cat twice m the year and then grszad. Two acres of vines which received three waterings, yielded last year 10 tons of grapes to the acre. Dairy cows are kept on the farm. Some lime ago a cry was ?alne<| against their being fad on Bewage pasture, bnt ; the very men who raised that cry now give £10 per aore per annum foe the right of cutting grass oft' the farm to feed their own gowb. Queensland bullocks are bought as stores and tied up m sheds, where they are fattened. Though as wild as kangaroos when first roped up, they become as quiet as goats m a week, acid are fat m- about three months. Lest it should be thought that there is any mistake about the foregoing figures; we think it well to say that they welfe iupplltd by Mr Woracp, the town olerk of Adelaide, to whose oourtcey »» ire indebted for a visit to the farm and for the' fact a here given.— .Journal of the National Agricultural Sppiety of "Viotorla

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